Concerned Catholics of Guam calls seminary "a sham"

By Krystal Paco
KUAM
August 29, 2016

http://www.kuam.com/story/32859617/2016/08/Monday/concerned-catholics-of-guam-calls-seminary-a-sham

While the Concerned Catholics of Guam prepares for what could be a lengthy legal takeback of the multimillion dollar Redemptoris Mater Seminary, they're now speaking out about the validity of the seminary's graduates.

"The Redemptoris Mater Seminary is a sham," stated Andrew Camacho, vice president of the Concerned Catholics of Guam organization. In a press conference on Monday, the CCOG questioned not only the validity of priests being formed at the Redemptoris Mater Seminary, but also the Archdiocese of Agana's continued investment in the institute, calling it "money down the drain."

"RMS has produced 17 priests in the last few years. Do they serve the Catholic faithful in Guam? Seven priests serve in local parishes. Two are at RMS. Eight are not in Guam. Some are serving in other countries. The status of the others is unknown," Camacho continued. "The cost of running the RMS is too high. Approximately $200,000 comes from the Archdiocese of Agana."

The CCOG also alleges there are no background checks, no psychological screenings, and no records to prove seminarians are high school graduates. Instead, the CCOG states the RMS is strictly in the business of promoting Archbishop Anthony Apuron's personal agenda - to form priests following the life and practice of the Neocatechumenal Way, not traditional diocesan priests.

According to the CCOG's look of the curriculum and faculty, the RMS doesn't meet standards of model seminaries stateside noting the RMS has limited faculty and teachers who aren't qualified to teach their subject areas. Said Camacho, "This seminary should be shut down. I feel sorry for the men who have true vocations to the priesthood and have to endure the poor formation in this so-called seminary."

The CCOG suggests that it would be more cost effective to send Guam priests-in-training to fully accredited diocesan seminaries abroad. If a seminary is needed on Guam, then it must meet the standards to properly form priests for our local parishes.

We should note, Guam has two seminaries: aside from the RMS, there is the St. John Paul the Great Archdiocesan Seminary of Guam in Malojloj. The CCOG refers to this seminary as a boarding house where seminarians go to sleep after they've gone for their studies at the RMS.

"If a person is living at the dorms at UOG but goes to GCC everyday for classes, at the end of four years can he say I've earned my UOG diploma? I don't think so. It's almost the same situation," Camacho said.

Apostolic administrator Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai formed an ad hoc committee to conduct seminary visitations. That group, which is chaired by Father Jeffrey San Nicolas, is tasked with assessing the seminaries and their formation programs, the personnel, and other matters involved in the formation of the clergy for the archdiocese. Father Jeff wasn't available for comment.

KUAM News likewise also reached out to RMS rector Father Pius Sammut, who also did not provide comment.